


Independent Horizons

by KureKai_King



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Concerts, Friendship, Idols, Life - Freeform, Love, M/M, Stage plays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22801264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KureKai_King/pseuds/KureKai_King
Summary: Being in love and being an idol are normally not two things meant to meet in the middle, but somehow they're going to make things work.
Relationships: Ichinose Tokiya/Ittoki Otoya
Kudos: 20





	Independent Horizons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Happy Birthday, Kels! <3  
> I know I've been teasing you with this for a good while now, but finally came the day I allow you to read it! You're such an amazing person and I'm very grateful to have you as a friend. Sometimes you can have it really rough, and I'm sorry there's not much I can do to help from the other side of the world (near enough? I think? Did I ever tell you I failed Geography at school?). But here's to some better days and continued friendship!  
> You'll also perhaps notice the title is based off your own works; Independence and HORIZON. I know how much they mean to you, especially, so this is sorta inspired by them even if it doesn't quite seem like it. You'll hopefully understand what the thought process was.  
> Enjoy!

Otoya had pretty much always known that _Secret Lover_ was written with himself in mind. He was definitely bound to be found out as Ichinose Tokiya’s “secret scandal” at some point, and he was surprised they hadn’t been discovered and exposed to the public yet. The song played repeatedly in his head since the first time he’d heard the hit. He knew Tokiya could be bold when it came down to it but the way Otoya felt his heart pick up speed and thump along to the beat was astounding to him.

Tokiya’s vocals had always been something to be unrivalled. They had a uniqueness that Otoya could only describe as flawless - everything Tokiya did was flawless to him, to be honest with himself. Tokiya had told him once that Otoya had his own unique taste to his voice, but the guitarist had never quite seen what he’d meant. That was just how Tokiya was, he guessed, he would see things others couldn’t see in themselves.

But Otoya did know that he had an eye for things in Tokiya that only he could see. Others - even Tokiya’s most downright loyal fans - could never see the tiniest quirks or the most subtle of movements or even that slight little twinge in his voice. Otoya knew. Otoya always knew.

He knew that when Tokiya worked late, he would immediately want a warm bath and to go straight to bed, so Otoya would listen out for his car pulling up, signalling for when he should start running the bath just the way Tokiya liked it. Once Tokiya was relaxing out the tension in his body with the water, Otoya would re-check the kitchen to make sure he had definitely tidied things up, and then settle himself with a book seated at the very end of Tokiya’s bed.

He didn’t really read, he preferred comics more than novels, and since Tokiya knew him so well, he didn’t need to say anything whenever Otoya did have a book in his hands. But late nights were different; Otoya would read so he could become tired enough to sleep the moment his head hit the pillow next to Tokiya’s shoulder. He never waited for Tokiya in bed. He would always wait until he was given silent permission.

Once Tokiya was settled, Otoya would be allowed to slip in beside him and stay warm with his partner until the mornings rudely awakened them from the peace.

“Still working on the new song?” Tokiya’s voice startled him and his pencil made an askew line from the end of the most recent thing written on the page.

Otoya looked up at him, the back of his head lightly hitting the tree he was leant up against, and a smile greeted his partner before words did. His guitar resting faithfully beside him, Tokiya sat down on his other side with an exhausted huff of air, before opening his eyes and glancing down at the lyrics written in Otoya’s hand.

“No title yet?” Tokiya frowned a little as he rested one arm gently across Otoya’s shoulders.

The guitarist shook his head, “I can’t think of one right now, most of what I’m writing is just random thoughts that come to mind. It’s a jumble at the moment, as frustrating as it is”.

“Well, you’re getting better at lyric writing, I can tell that much. You’ll get there before long”.

Otoya tilted his head to the side, a light thud against Tokiya’s body, “How do you do it, Tokiya? How do you always make your songs feel so special? I don’t understand it”.

“If you say, again, that I’m flawless or perfect then-”

“ _Independence_ doesn’t count, Tokiya”.

“...Fine, we’ll leave that debate in the past. Anyway, just think about what you did with _HORIZON_. That one did pretty well for itself, don’t you think?”

“I guess so…but it was only because you were there for me. Like you always are…”

Tokiya frowned again, a hand coming up to gently start folding his fingers between red spikes, “What’s on your mind?”

“...I keep thinking about it. _Secret Lover_. As much as I love both you and music equally, I could never do something that bold knowing the truth behind it. I expected a song like that to come from Ren or maybe even Natsuki perhaps. But it’s your song… It’s your song about me…”

“I think I get what you want to do; you want to return the favour, right?” Otoya nodded, a small hum emitting from closed lips as he shut his eyes, letting the pencil and notebook fall gently on his lap. Tokiya’s touch was like magic. Making him smile, “You know, as flattered as I am by the thought alone, you don’t need to put pressure on yourself to do something for me”.

“I don’t…? Are you sure you’re not just being humble or something, Tokiya? Because I can do it, I know I can, I just need more time…”

“But think about it, Otoya, we have all the time in the world like this; together. I may have written that incredibly bold song with you in mind, but I’m never going to expect you to do the same if it’s not in you. Maybe someday you’ll write like that, but for now, you’re free to just concentrate on other projects. I’m perfectly okay with that”.

“You mean it?”

Tokiya nodded with a half-chuckle as Otoya shifted to nuzzle his nose against his shirt. He knew Otoya would be okay with more personal songwriting someday. Because, just as Otoya knew Tokiya, Tokiya knew Otoya just as well.

* * *

Writing Brilliant Days was another wave of immense progress for Otoya. After recalling all those painful memories and realising that, in a way, he had also been fooling himself with his smiles, he felt like a weight had been eased off his chest.

The lyrics had still upset him, since they were much more personal, and reflected back things he had done his best to hide. Tokiya had stayed with him as he wrote every word, of course, while working on his own song; Be the Light!

He remembered every night where he would, without question, be huddled up against Tokiya’s body, sitting in his lap and resting closed eyes on his shoulder, arms loosely hung up around his neck. If any tears had managed to mark his face, no one would suspect anything by morning.

As he’d learnt over the years, if a song was going to mean as much to his audience as it did to him, it had to connect. If that meant exposing parts of himself that he’d rather have kept secret, then he would be fine eventually.

There were just some things you couldn’t hide forever, even if you truly wanted to.

Tokiya would constantly check on him even before they had been given the task to write the songs that would be put alongside that of their HEAVENS duet partner. What had happened after the recording of Next Door was something every member of all three groups wanted to never happen again.

Eiichi had apologised for his behaviour. Otoya had forgiven him. Tokiya had forgiven him, also, but that didn’t mean it magically eased all their previous worries away. It didn’t mean nothing had happened.

“Tokiya,” Otoya called to him one night from below his bunk - the guitarist sometimes used it at night - and he shifted to make noise, acknowledging he’d heard, “You’re restless, Tokiya. What’s wrong?”

“...It’s nothing,” was the reply, and Tokiya knew it wouldn’t end there. It never did when your roommate was quite often the persistent type.

Otoya was out of bed and climbing up the ladder in no time, and Tokiya closed his eyes, feeling the other thump against him and begin to make himself comfortable. Only when he stopped moving, did Tokiya open his eyes and glance below his chin to meet crimson puppy ones.

“You can tell me, you know,” Otoya’s voice was quiet, his words soft-spoken, “I know I’m not the best at helping people as they can help me, but if you ever need a friendly ear then, I’m right here, aren’t I?”

“I know you are, Otoya, thank you… But I mustn’t worry you with this. It’s just useless thinking, really, since the cause of it is all over and has been dealt with…”

A pause, “It’s the HEAVENS duet thing, isn’t it? You’re not the only one in this room still thinking about it… Sometimes, without you knowing, I wake up feeling scared. Sometimes, I dream about you and Eiji running off together like a lovestruck couple of your own. Because reading the rumours in all those articles and on social media, it really got to me. A-And when you did threaten to leave, I got so frightened that I pushed myself so much, just because I wanted you to stay… It’s really dumb, huh?”

“No…,” Tokiya sighed, “That’s just another thing to add to my blame”.

“What do you mean?” Otoya sat up and poked him in the chest, frowning, “You did everything you could! You even came looking for me… You sent out that music video broadcast specifically for me, because you guys knew I’d see it somewhere… You went out of your way to learn more about me, because how else would you know about the sunflower field? You offered to help me with the lyrics but I was the one who declined the offer. I should’ve kept a better guard up against Eiichi; we all knew what he was like. I guess because everyone else’s partners kind of became friends, then I didn’t think my turn would turn out to be so bad like it did. Did he…say something to you?”

“...After hearing Nanami’s recording of your song, the first thing I did was arrange a meeting with him. I had to know what he’d done to you for you to call me in the middle of the night and to say you weren’t coming home. That you couldn’t smile anymore. I suppose, in that meeting, he managed to get into my head too; I was made to believe I hadn’t been the greatest roommate to you, and I know he was right in that sense. I should’ve been better to you…”

“But Tokiya, you could say the same about me! I could’ve always been a better roommate by doing more of what you always ask of me, for example,” the guitarist tapped his finger lightly on his chin, “I think this is just your perfectionist side talking, because, if you really were that bad of a roommate, I wouldn’t have managed to fall in love with you, right~?”

Tokiya chuffed a little with a smile of his own, pressing a hand gently on Otoya’s back to lay him down on his chest again, then sliding that same hand up into his hair and begin stroking at a soothing pace. Tokiya knew he and Otoya had never clicked fully, especially in their beginning (and it was even more evident if you took a look at the rest of the STARISH roommates), but he was happy they had managed to come so far in their journey together. And there was bound to be more for them to come across for the remainder.

* * *

Getting to tell Otoya the words “I love you” right there on stage was probably, no, definitely the highlight of Tokiya’s year. They’d done stage productions before, but Lycoris no Mori was undoubtedly the best one for them. It was so different, yet oddly familiar. Tokiya failed to see, at first, how a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood would benefit as a Shining Production.

Despite dressing as a wolf for, what was this, the third time? The smile on his boyfriend’s face was worth every second in the spotlight. Even though his character, Randolph, was dying as he said the words and Otoya was crying as he held him in his arms, the iconic red cape flowing around his body, Tokiya always loved this scene. It was painful, and Otoya had, at first, struggled with getting through it, but ever so worth it.

The audience’s cheers and awing when the two characters were able to reunite in the afterlife, filled his heart with pride and he didn’t think it could get any better. Every performance was executed to the T, reviews praising them constantly and when the merchandise was made for the show? Sales went wild.

Although, he had to bite the inside of his cheek to hopefully stop a blush rising up whenever Otoya would hug him at night and mumble “My Randolph” into the crook of his neck just before he fell asleep. And little did people know how much Blood and Randolph’s relationship was reflected in the very two idols playing them off stage.

* * *

Solo Albums. The seven of them were producing their own solo albums - including two new songs! New outfits, promotions, it was all so exciting! And they would get to document their daily lives through tweets for two weeks each as the albums released. Their fans would not be able to believe what was happening to them. Otoya was excited to see his own fans’ reactions to whatever he got up to. And, of course, they would get to say what they got up to doing with the other members of STARISH and QUARTET NIGHT.

Writing I am Here was probably his favourite project to date. And he knew Tokiya was working equally hard with his (whatever it may be, these were secret even to their groups). He’d definitely improved his lyric writing since first starting out, and these new songs were really going to blow people out of the water. Reiji had been jumping around him for weeks in excitement ever since the announcement. Otoya was nervous about being the first one to send his new work into the open, but he also felt confident in this.

His other song, a type he was not often known for producing, worked out equally as great. He adored being able to tell the fans things about himself they might not have known before. And this song, in particular, was from an inspiration so special, he swore he forgot how to breathe when Shining first listened to it. And approved. A song inspired by his childhood, by the very man who had given him everything he had right now.

It meant the world.

Hearing Target is You was a very insightful experience, to say the least. He had not known Tokiya to take this route, but then again, the outfits they had been given to wear for the album covers were definitely not much of their usual personalities either (and Tokiya succeeded in making him jealous because he didn’t get pose with a motorbike! So unfair).

He noticed some fans hadn’t failed to notice the way their titles could add together and it indeed did amuse him, greatly. Completely unintentional since they hadn’t known what each other was going to do, but perhaps that was a perk of being in a romantic relationship somehow.

Even though the solo albums were truly the highlight of everyone’s two weeks, Otoya had truly enjoyed the time he’d gotten to spend with his friends. His dates with Tokiya and his movie night with Syo, his drive home with Reiji, belting out the album in the car. It truly had been a magical year, and there was still so much more to come.

* * *

Oto-chan. That’s what Van called him. He didn’t recall ever being called that before. Even when people did use honorifics for him, they never tended to shorten his given name. But, he felt that he liked it. He’d definitely grown fond of it during rehearsals, after all. And along with improving rehearsals, there was a new growing friendship between their group.

Of course, Otoya and Van tended to drown out Ai’s light calls of telling them to be careful, because somehow they had mutually agreed that it would be a brilliant addition to the performance if they were to throw Otoya into the air. Although his fear of heights wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been before, he’d still definitely been nervous about it. Or maybe it was just the idea that he had to rely on two people he’d never exactly been close with before to catch him when gravity decided to drag him back down to the stage floor.

But the actual live performance of _Up-Down-Up_ had gone even more brilliantly then he’d imagined it to. The throw into the air had been even more exhilarating than any rehearsals, and the ad-lib princess lift he’d done with Van had given him the most confident, fluttering feeling in his chest. He’d sung his heart out with that song, and when it had been over, the cheers and gleeful screams for the audience washed over him like a comforting fire. This was a great kick-off for the concert. They’d paved the way of audience expectations for the other units, and he couldn’t wait to see his friends and seniors in the spotlight.

As he followed with Van and Ai backstage, with Natsuki, Eiichi and Ranmaru taking their place, he found himself gravitating to Tokiya, Cecil and Yamato’s group and automatically wrapping himself in one of his boyfriend’s hugs. Any other time, Tokiya would’ve pushed him away and then later claim that he’d been pushing the boundaries of their secret relationship but ever since the increase of fans both from Japan and overseas pairing them together as a couple, Shining had even suggested they show a more intimate side of their friendship. But, Otoya always made it known that he and Tokiya were closer than what their friends believed, and nobody questioned their forever closeness anymore.

“That was amazing, I’m really proud of you, Otoya”.

The small praise sent him into a beaming smile as he looked up at the taller man, eyes sparkling as they met with softened pools of dark blue. He knew Tokiya had been concerned when he’d come back to the room with mild bruises from the many attempts at the air-lift, and he was always pained to know he couldn’t tell Tokiya the truth; each performance was a surprise for every unit. Well, now he knew, and at least he wasn’t chewing him out for recklessness this time.

“Thanks, Tokiya, I can’t wait to see what you guys are gonna do out there!”

When the trio had shared amused looks with each other, Otoya would never have guessed what was about to come as he watched Tokiya leave his side and out onto the stage.

His eyes found themselves following the trio as they headed skyward and he couldn’t help but let his jaw drop open as he saw the trio fly around above their audience. Hoverboards were so cool! Even though he was in complete and utter awe of the performance, he naturally found himself a little jealous; if only he’d gotten to ride a hoverboard. But then again, maybe his fear of heights would truly return had that been the case. Probably best that he hadn’t been given the chance.

He wondered how many injuries Cecil and Tokiya had hidden from him and their friends from the rehearsals. Heck, if he’d gotten some from just being thrown into the air and caught awkwardly a few times then who knows how Tokiya and Cecil had been (not to mention that would make his boyfriend quite the hypocrite for chewing him out on recklessness - he hadn’t been on a freaking hoverboard!)

* * *

The afterparty certainly wore them both out if the concert itself hadn’t. There had been drinking (and Tokiya made it his night’s goal to keep any and all alcohol out of Otoya’s reach - he knew he was able to be trusted, but with so much energy somehow still tingling in his system, he kept the two separate), and laughter all around the grand hall as instrumental versions of their songs from all three groups played in the air.

Tokiya stayed mostly to one side with Otoya, not all that surprised in this day and age that the guitarist barely left his side - that, and he was thankful since it made him much easier to be kept an eye on. Tokiya had only one glass of an alcoholic beverage (a light one at that) and he prayed that his boyfriend would fall asleep before he got sulky when he’d later realise he hadn’t had the chance to drink any himself. An arm subtly circled around the younger one’s waist, allowing Otoya to lean into his frame slightly.

“Were you jealous?” Otoya suddenly asked him.

“Jealous of what?” He replied.

“The ad-lib princess lift thingy. Were you?”

“Should I be?” He personally didn’t see a reason to be jealous of such a small detail. It wasn’t as if the two had passionately made out on stage in front of the masses of fans. It wasn’t a scandalous act of any sort, more like a way the two brains somehow connected at the moment to put a spin on the routine and leave Ai out of the loop for a second or two.

“I hope you were...,” Otoya sounded almost disappointed, and Tokiya wasn’t sure why. There had been no wrong-doing. Had it been an improvisation purely to taunt him somehow?

“What exactly are you getting at?” He took another light sip of his drink.

Otoya moved his head upward, but Tokiya saw from the corner of his eye that Otoya wasn’t looking at him, but at the ceiling where there were skylights showing off the stars that night. Maybe he should let Otoya have half a glass of something after all.

“It’s not just a princess lift, you know, it’s traditionally what a groom would do to a bride after sealing their promised vows to each other with a kiss. If there’s anyone who I want to hold me like that then it’s you, Tokiya. But…I guess that won’t happen, will it? Even if I wished hard enough…”

“Otoya…are you saying you want us to get married?” Otoya glanced at him and Tokiya hated the pain in his eyes as he saw him nod. Putting his glass aside, Tokiya enveloped him in a tight hug, “What makes you think we can’t someday? We won’t be idols forever, you know”.

“It just seems that…even when we do stop being idols, we’ll still have different ways to go about the rest of our lives. We already know that I’ll be going through management training to someday take over Shining Agency. And they won’t want me to…to…”

“Well, why don’t you change things? When we get to that bridge. You’re going to be the one in charge, you’re the new generation; you’ll be the one making the rules”.

“But…I’m scared. Of a lot of things. I don’t want to be apart from you, Tokiya! I keep thinking about _Independence_ and _HORIZON_ from years ago; I don’t… I don’t want my horizon to be independent from yours…”

He fell silent against him then, Tokiya keeping him held close and pretending to observe the others in the hall. He knew Otoya was mostly spouting nonsense, in all honesty, and that in the morning he’d forget all about it, but sometimes he did often have a good point to make. What would happen to them in the future? So maybe they hadn’t been allowed to pursue any sort of romantic relationship in their starting days, especially with their own composer, but they were in the mid-late twenties now, surely they should have different rules?

But then there was always the risk of losing fans. And losing fans meant losing money. And losing money meant losing support from the people. That was the real crime to falling in love; it would fall blame to you for simply pursuing some happiness outside the music.

Yes, Otoya and Tokiya had been given the go-ahead to be more open with each other, but that was all under the guise of fanservice. In the eyes of the producers and directors and whatever other companies helped sell their stuff, if they were to ever come out as a legitimate couple, it would cause chaos for everyone, not just something the two of them could simply brush aside.

Otoya finding out that Shining was his father only made matters harder. At least that news hadn’t reached the public yet, and Tokiya personally prayed it never would. But as he kept his arms wrapped around his lover, he let his thoughts wander. He’d never imagined marrying Otoya before, but, that didn’t mean he was against the idea. If it was ever doable then Tokiya would go ahead with it without any hesitation. Since he now knew that that was what Otoya wanted anyway.

Otoya made a soft noise as he started to fidget, nuzzling against him. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling Otoya’s body begin to go slightly more limp against his own, and a sly smile curved onto his lips.

“Maybe we should hit the hotel room early if you’re feeling tired, huh?”

Otoya nodded before looking up at him with a tiny smile, “They won’t mind…?”

He shook his head, “I think they’re all much too busy to notice if we slip away now. What do you say? I bet you’re going to need that energy of yours in the morning just to get out of such a comfy bed~”

“Mm, only if I get my own Tokiya pillow while I sleep in it~ And a Tokiya kiss and a Tokiya wake up call, and more Tokiya hugs and kisses, okay~?”

Tokiya shook his head again, his smile widening as he began to lead Otoya away from the noisy hall and head toward their hotel. Once they were out in the dark night, he laced his fingers together with Otoya’s; thankful that the blackness of the late-night kept the gesture hidden.

In the beginning, Tokiya would’ve given anything to have his horizon be significantly independent from his roommate’s. He was loud, brash, annoying, a constant, consistent pest; everything Tokiya was not, and everything he loathed Otoya for. But so much time had passed since their beginning at the academy. And now, whenever Tokiya would look at the redhead, all he could see was a bright, sunny future.

A future that smiled up at him like the sun shone down on the both of them. And they knew that whenever it rained, they would always see a rainbow arcing over them, signifying a promise of togetherness.


End file.
